Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) 1/18 scale Jukka Tervamäki JT-9T autogyro scratchbuilt model Having tried my (suicidal) virgin 40 minutes flight experience with a friend's homemade autogyro during my summer holidays with him on flight controls and me on the passenger's backseat, I can surely say that you really feel like a bird, sensing even the slightest airwave or gravity accelerating change straight in your floating stomach. As soon as I safely stepped on solid ground again and returned back home in one piece, I felt the iresistable temptation to try a 1/18 scale autogyro scratchbuild. The following article is to describe step by step the 1/18 scale Jukka Tervamäki Engineering JT-9T autogyro, designed by Mr. Jukka Tervamäki and currently flying by ultralight aviators around the world keeping the Mad Max II GyroCaptain's (aka Road Warrior) spirit alive! In the photo below, Mr. Jukka Tervamäki, with his latest (at that time) creation of the JT-5, which was a predecessor of JT-9, which I'll try to represent in scale. The basic JT-9 autogyro concept is about a tractor gyro design with good aesthetics and performance with fairly low power. A 1.7 m diameter 2-blades propeller is powered by HKS 700 or Hexadyne Aviation P60 diesel engines, both delivering about of 65 hp at 2400 rpm. The fuselage of the JT-9 is of normal steel tube construction covered with dacron fabric. On the other hand, the JT-9B model is equipped with an electric motor instead of a diesel engine, with only difference the 3-blades propeller and wider front cover to house the battery packs onto both sides of the fuselage. The model I'll try to build in 1/18 scale, is the two-seat trainer (as for the "T") JT-9T model, equiped with diesel engine & 2-blades propeller made by carbon fibers. Having the basic blueprint line diagrams in hand, it was easy to convert them into 1/18 scale with a photocopier and I began the scale model building, starting from zero using 0.25mm styrene card and plastic sprue. To make the construction look more interesting, I decide to build the model in a way that airframe should look like cutaway side opened and let cockpit detail be easily observed. In the following pictures, the real (one-seat) Alex “GyroBeast2” Lameko's autogyro JT-9, during the successive stages of building. Edited August 28, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) CHAPTER I - Basic airframe skeleton construction Following the 1/18 scale printed diagrams and using just a sharp blade and CA super glue, it took about 60 minutes to build the basic airframe skeleton. The tiny gaps between the skeleton connections, were filled with Humbrol modeling putty, applied with an old brush. In order to make the putty liquid and let it spread naturally and fill the tiny gaps, I mixed it with laquer thinner. Because the laquer thinner is volatile, the liquid putty mixture took about 45 minutes to get fully dry and be safe to sand - carefully ofcourse. If you follow this method, be sure that you mix the laquer thinner and the modeling putty into a metal or glass plate / canister, because the most plastic materials cannot stand it and melt. For this reason, keep in mind to use just the essential laquer thinner quantity, in order to remain the mixture in liquid form, as it is presented at the following pictures. Edited August 8, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) About 45 minutes after lacquer thinner and Humbrol putty liquid mixture applied with brush on the skeleton to fill the tiny gaps between the connections, it looked to be fully dry and safe to sand it. As soon as that was done, the skeleton was hanged by a string and airbrushed with enamel mat white colour as a base coat. Cockpit floor, wheels etc made while waiting the putty to dry, were also spayed with base coat. Edited August 8, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) CHAPTER II - Engine building & painting Setting as a task to build the model in a way that airframe look like cutaway side opened with cockpit and engine bay details visible, I should also leave the engine's cover opened. that offcourse means that an engine building from scratch is something I couldn't easily avoid. Using plastic card, sprue, metal wire and unidentified parts found in the sparebox, here is my effort to build a realistic 1/18 scale engine. Edited August 8, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) After connecting with superglue the main elements, the electric cables and oil or diesel lines etc on engine's shape, I airbrushed it with enamel mat white color as a base coat, using high air pressure and spraying from distance to develop a pore surface and help silver & aluminum paint establish easier on plastic or metal engine's parts. As soon as the enamel mat white color seemed dry enough, a mixture of silver and aluminum paint sprayed on the engine and let about 24hrs to dry before trying to wash it with darker colors. As I personally believe that following simple techniques and sometimes unconventional methods, result in superior effects, I usually do not use enamel or acrylic paint to wash, because I feel risky when applying the paint mixture and let it run. I prefer an easier technique that can be undone if the results are poor - that makes it the perfect technique. I use hard chalk pastels to wash (NOT oil pastels). The hard chalk pastels, look like a teacher would use on the blackboard in school. Do not use the soft oil pastels that artist use to draw on paper. The hard chalk pastels are easy to find in a variety of colours into your local art store or maybe Wal-Mart if in US or ASDA if in UK. To do the wash, I use an X-acto knife, a small metal or plastic container, an old brush, dish washing soap and a bit of water. Begin by scraping some chalk powder from the side of the chalk pastel stick, carefully put this chalk powder into the small container and add a tiny amount of water and stir. It is important to add a tiny amount of water in order to make the mixture look like mud - not like soup! For this reason, I use a syringe to add just few drops on the hard chalk pastel powder and I stir using the old brush. Because the chalk powder doesn't mix well with the water, a drop of dish washing soap is needed to break the surface tension of the water and also acts as a "glue" to help the chalk powder stick to the model. Edited August 8, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) Once the chalk is fully dissolved into the water/soap mixture it is time to “paint” this mixture onto the model's engine. “Painting” the mixture is simple - just apply it anywhere it is needed to darken recessed detail. The mixture can be applied carelessly, because any mistakes can be completely removed and redone. Once the chalk wash dried, I rubbed off the high spots with a slightly damp dry (not wet) Q-Tip cotton swab (Kleenex papers can be also used) and I wiped the dark color from the areas should be light & shinny. The high spots were cleaned to the SNJ bare metal finish and the low spots were left black. I did the chalk wash on the engine in under 30 minutes which makes it a very quick and effective technique. Some of the wash mixture is re-applied and the wash being wiped completely out of the narrow points. If you follow this method, it is adviced to not rinse out the wash container till you are finished this job. You will probably be touching up certain spots a few times, so it helps if you're not mixing up a new chalk mixture each time because you kept cleaning out your container of the chalk wash mixture. As soon as I paint the electric cables, the oil or diesel lines etc, I repeated the the wash process with lighter colors where needed. Using micro cotton batons found into cosmetic shop for less than 1£, I applied some red, orange, purple & brown chalk pastel powder on the engine's chrome excaust, to make it look overheated. I repeated the weathering process until it satisfied me and finally I sprayed a clear coat to seal the chalk powder on the engine. Edited August 8, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_Karatzides Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 (edited) The scale model building, cost me almost nothing and took about 2 evenings work so far. I also send some pictures of my secret hideout / hobby room while scratchbuilding the 1/18 scale JT-9T autogyro model. Click on the first image to enlarge hi-res 180 degrees panoramic picture. Edited August 8, 2018 by Nick_Karatzides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azgaron Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Excellent work so far Nick, and a very nice workplace! Cheers, Håkan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cees Broere Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Nick, This is amazing, a real mastclass how to scratchbuild a very underrated object. Jawdroppingly fantastic. Cees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rigor Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 wow nick, nice work on a neat project! is it going to be a madmax Dio? oh nice hideout too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Thanks for posting this Nick. Your work is utterly amazing and inspirational. But what I appreciate more is the thought and effort you've put into this thread. The 'how-to' sequences are worthy of a book, and highly illuminating. Fantastic stuff! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabre F-86 Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Beautiful work Nick, and the step by step is an excellent idea. I've already learned a couple of things from you. Part of the problem doing tube frames for me was always the welded joints. Your technique is way simpler than what I have been doing, looks better and is simpler to build. The wash technique is also different, and looking at the results, I like it. Going to try it on something tonite. (don't know what yet but I'm for sure going to try it!) The wash on that silver engine is very subtle yet easy to replicate. Im also please to see another scratch built project underway. An autogyro. Never thought I'd ever see one other than the Airfix James Bond Little Nel. I also salute you on your courage in actually going up in one. Years ago, when I first got my license, I wanted to build something to fly in, and the Benson autogyro was on my short list. At the same time I was receiving the Ministry of Transport (Canada) accident synopsis by mail. and one of them dealt with the Benson. After reading that, I never looked at it again. Seems some 36% of the ones built in Canada at that time had been involved in fatal crashes. (1973-74 time frame) That scared the willies out of me and I went on to work on the Cassutt IIIM in various forms. Keep the chapters coming! Sabre 112 days n a wake up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menelaos Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I think I'm dreaming!!..... somebody please wake me up!!! AMAZING!!! BRAVO...!!!! ela...skizis!!!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalephantomphixer Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Great job so far Nick I love the way you built and weathered the engine, very infromative. When can we expect the next installment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry brown Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Hi Nick, for what it's worth, I really like this project a lot, and how well it's turning out, brilliant stuff, and I love the photo of the chap with the crashed autogyro. Great headgear. Also, I've got to ask 2 Q's 1.what is 'nitro resolvent' and where do you get it ? I have filler issues at the moment. 2.who is the guy off the television in red on your posts? It's eating me up, I have to know. Best, Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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